


Strong Enough

by altered_eagle



Series: City Goblins [18]
Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Alfred vs batjokes, Batjokes, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Injury Recovery, M/M, POV Alfred Pennyworth, Sickfic, That poor poor man, The Babysitter's Club - Freeform, fuckin A, ohhhhhhhhhhhh gosh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-10-02
Updated: 2018-10-02
Packaged: 2019-07-24 08:59:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 544
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16171859
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/altered_eagle/pseuds/altered_eagle
Summary: What are you doing out of bed?You ask quietly. He shrugs. His left knee buckles a bit, and he leans against the doorframe.First i had to piss, then i puked in the sink. i’m sorry about that; i cleaned it up.i’m not concerned about that,you say as you go to him.i’m concerned about you moving around on your own when you’re still weak. Imagine Master Bruce’s reaction if i had to tell him that you fell and cracked your head on the toilet on my watch.The Joker laughs weakly.Yeah that would be the lamest crimelord death of the century…





	Strong Enough

[ Strong Enough: Sheryl Crow ](https://youtu.be/3s1bZLh4mJA)

Now the man you used to know only as a force of destruction looks pale and ill, with no makeup on his face and his hair drawn back in a tangled ponytail. He’s wearing an oversized t-shirt with a print of Michael Hutchence on it and a pair of Bruce’s sweatpants that hang off the juts of his hips.

 _What are you doing out of bed?_ You ask quietly. He shrugs. His left knee buckles a bit, and he leans against the doorframe.

 _First i had to piss, then i puked in the sink_. _i’m sorry about that; i cleaned it up._

 _i’m not concerned about that_ , you say as you go to him. _i’m concerned about you moving around on your own when you’re still weak. Imagine Master Bruce’s reaction if i had to tell him that you fell and cracked your head on the toilet on my watch_ . The Joker laughs weakly.    

_Yeah that would be the lamest crimelord death of the century…_

_Back to bed _.__ You wrap an arm around his back and wait until he pushes away from the wall, and leans into you. You nudge him in the direction of Bruce’s california king. He goes along without a fuss.

 _Master Bruce asked you to tell me when you need something,_ you tell him. The Joker flops against the mattress, rolls his eyes. _i’m going to give you something for the nausea._ You pop a tablet from its foil packet, hand it over. _But next time the medicine will work more effectively if you tell me when you first start feeling ill._

 _Look..._ the Joker says as you kneel to put the blood pressure cuff around his arm. _i’ll be fine, i._ He yawns. _Just need to sleep._ You tighten the cuff, you work the pump. _i know you don’t approve of my leisure time activities or of me as a person in general so there’s no reason for you to be up at four in the morning taking my vitals ok. Bruce can do it when he gets back._

 _i have every reason to be taking your vitals at four in the morning_ , you respond as you watch the needle tick back. _The way in which your doctors medicated you was irresponsible and dangerous. Your injuries were caused by the people who are supposed to protect you. Master Bruce believes that nobody deserves that kind of mistreatment._

 _Do you?_ The Joker asks.

 _i don’t believe in the abuse of prisoners,_ you tell him as you remove the cuff. His blood pressure is low: 80 over 55. He likely needs fluids.

The Joker is giving you a long look.

 _There are an awful lot of people who would disagree with you,_ he says after a moment. _They’d say we’re getting what we deserve. That we’re all just monsters._

_i’m aware._

_You think i’m a monster too._ It’s a statement _ _.__ He doesn’t sound remotely accusatory but his coal-dark eyes lock on yours, and see through you. _You think that. i can tell._

You guide him to lie back.

 _You’re also the man who loves my son_ , you tell him as you pull the covers up to his chest. _And you will always have a safe place here._


End file.
